NetWeaver SAPSetup deploys SAP GUI for Windows 710, A1S Components, NetWeaver Business Client, software from Adobe and many other desktop components. With this version of the installer that is available starting January 2007, SAP provides you with a unified mechanism to make the distribution of these components easy and use a unified process in dealing with SAP software deployment.
So, in other words, NetWeaver SAPSetup (NW SAPSetup) is a multi-product deployment tool. It allows you (the administrator) to create an installation server that works as a central point for SAP client software distribution, add new components to it in course of time and distribute them.
Recommended pre-read:
Hope you've read the post on NetWeaver SAPSetup Tools and Utilities...?
Prerequisites:
- You have the CD / downloaded package of one of the above mentioned SAP front-end components that you wish to install on client computers in your local network.
- To configure packages, you need to have the .NET Framework version 1.1 SP1 installed to use NWSAPSetupAdmin.exe.
- All steps below need administrative privileges on the computer on which they are performed.
Process in brief:
Step 1: Create an Installation Server using NWCreateInstServer.exe
Step 2 (optional): Create installation packages using NWSAPSetupAdmin.exe
Step 3: Install software on end-user workstations from this installation server using NWSASPSetup.exe via the installation server network path.
All SAPSetup tools mentioned can be located in the SETUP folder of your CD / download / Installation Server.
Process in detail:
Step 1: Creating an installation server
An installation server is a storage for SAP front-end components that you wish to distribute on end-user workstations. To create an installation server, simply run NWCreateInstServer.exe, and let the wizard guide you through the process.
- When supplying a physical folder path for the installation server, ensure that it is shared with write access to you (administrator) and read access for the users on the domain. This ensures that the users cannot tamper the contents of the server.
- When NWCreateInstServer is done, it will automatically start NWUpdateInstServer.exe to update this new (but empty) installation server with the SAP components available at the source (CD or Download folder).
- When the update process is completed, NWSAPSetupAdmin will be automatically started (if you have .NET Framework 1.1 installed) to help you view the contents of the server and re-configure it.
Step 2 (optional): Configuring packages for installation
As such an installation server with an SAP front-end component like SAP GUI for Windows 710 is complete and ready for distribution. You would configure packages if you wish to -
- Choose and simplify the selection of components for users (for example: create a package for HR employees containing components you know that they need to install).
- Configure installation parameters (say like installation folder path) for components.
- Use the freedom to change the package at a later stage and let the installer (NWSAPSetup.exe) update workstations with the newer versions of the package - hence installing components that are newly a part of it, or uninstall those taken off via a simple command-line.
If none of these criteria interest you, and you wish to install the front-end software, skip this section and jump to the next part.
The process of creating packages is pretty simple and wizard driven -
- Start NWSAPSetupAdmin.exe (if done creating a new server, this would have been automatically started).
- Click the "New Package" toolbar button or press CTRL + N.
- Follow the wizard... Select the components you wish to install with this package.
- Click Finish when done.
You can configure the package's installation parameters (component folder paths, etc) in the Configure Packages tab, via the link titled 'Configure Parameters'.
Step 3: Installing software on end-user workstations using NWSAPSetup.exe
Method A (Manual Installation):
- Start NWSAPSetup.exe from the SETUP folder of the installation server. Click 'Next' to view avail
- If you followed optional Step 2 above, switch to Package View, select the package you wish to install and click next.
- Else, select components you wish to install and click next.
- If you selected a package, there is nothing more to be configured as configuration was done in Step 2, else you may be asked for installation parameters like folder path, etc - depending on your selection of components.
Method B (Command-line based unattended installation):
To install the full version of a product (say SAP GUI for Windows 710) available on the installation server, simply run command-line:
\InstallationServerPathSetupNWSAPSetup.exe /Product="SAPGUI710" /Silent
To install multiple products (say A and B), execute:
\InstallationServerPathSetupNWSAPSetup.exe /Product="A+B" /Silent
To install a package created using Step 2 above:
\InstallationServerPathSetupNWSAPSetup.exe /Package="Package Command-Line Name" /Silent
You can get the command-line names for the package or the product being installed via NWSAPSetupAdmin.exe (in fact, the entire command-line string that I display above.).
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